at some point in the future, i will be installing an outdoor tap but that’s low on my priority list for house stuff right now so in the meantime i could do with something better than a bucket of water and less fiddly than a hosepipe running out of my kitchen to wash bikes down after muddy rides. what’s the go-to piece of kit these days? i had one of those cheapo hand pump pressure washer things; just get a new one of those or do the likes of karcher do any reasonably priced and quite efficient items?

I’ve got one of those outdoors tap kits you can have if you want, it’s in my box of ‘crap to throw out’ on the floor of the garage at the moment.

I talked myself out of fitting it for ages, then had a plumber come round and got him to fit a proper one while i was here.

Could bring it along to a MNPR.

if you’re chucking it out anyway, then yeah that would be good mate!

There’s a plumber locally who advertises outdoor taps fitted for 40 quid, get someone in to do that, and don’t spend the money you would have done on a Karcher.

Nobeerinthefridge +1.

actually yeah, that makes sense- one of the higher priority jobs is a new boiler so i could maybe combine the two and see if they can stick a tap in while doing the boiler swap. yeah.

Get a proper one fitted. The bodge-it-yerself ‘screw into an existing pipe’ types are quite poor. They only pierce a small hole in the pipe which doesn’t allow enough flow/pressure.

Also make sure you can isolate the outside tap from inside if/when we get a cold snap. A plumber will always do this for you.

or pick up a garden pressure spray from B&Q, hozelok 5Ltr one good. Bit of pressure but not too much

I can highly recommend THIS for making cleaning outside really simple. The multi head gives good options and doesn’t take up too much space hanging from the tap.

A bargain at £12 😉

Remember that if you leave the hose permanently connected , after use tutrn off tap, and open nozzle on hose that lets water out of hose stops it freezing and also you then know water is turned off at tap.

also if you have playfull freinds or enemies always remove the hose from the tap, as playfull types have been known to put hose through front door letter plate or a cat flap and turn water on overnight.

Stayhigh i had one of them theyre great, nice and neat as they just spring back after use. Im in same boat as you Andrew, just looking at options now which is how i found this thread….. promise i wasnt stalking you 😉

Ebay have some interesting yellow pressure pump bottles with multi attachments, i might give them a go. If i hadnt got rid of my car i might go for something with a 12v socket like an airace dirt worker

i had one of those pressure pump bottles for years, it was actually great but the hose eventually split and since i’m no longer renting i figured a more permanent option makes sense. but for various reasons i had to drop the priority of getting the tap put in, but i guess another of those things isn’t too pricey a stop-gap…

Get your combination boiler fitted n put a hot tap outside.

My outside hot taps the best thing I’ve done. Try it if you have any doubts

i was going to put a hot tap in after you told me about yours!

Off the tap front but I’ve found a really soft dustpan brush is really good for a quick clean. Big washing area and the long bristles reach in behind fork braces and into cassettes so can shift the worst of the **** pretty sharpish even with just a bucket of water.

I’ve found a really soft dustpan brush is really good for a quick clean. Big washing area and the long bristles reach in behind fork braces and into cassettes so can shift the worst of the **** pretty sharpish even with just a bucket of water.

I do pretty the much the same but i’m struggling with one bucket of water when it’s sloppy out. I got a bike brush from Blazing Saddles, it’s basically a big wooden toothbrush with long angled bristles. Wet the bike, spray some toothpaste (muc-off) on it and give it a scrub and before you know it the whole bike’s covered in suds.

It’s the water source that’s my problem. I can only use one bucket because i wash my bike on the back road, there isn’t a road in front of my house because it’s an over dwelling. If i go back to refill my bucket someone might nick my bike!

I’m going to get a Mobi Pressure Washer form CRC. They look pretty good from the videos i’ve seen and they’ll be useful for trail centres and any ride that involves the car. And cleaning the car. And myself.

They are £100 but since i don’t have access to a tap i reckon it’ll be worth it.

Andrew, until you get an outside tap could you run a hose through the window? or just use two buckets and some good cleaning products?

Whatever you decide, good luck.